


hit me with a hand of broken nails

by brandywine421



Series: we might be hollow, but we're brave [5]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Defenders (Marvel TV), The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Post-Season/Series 01
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-22
Updated: 2018-05-19
Packaged: 2019-04-26 03:57:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14393784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brandywine421/pseuds/brandywine421
Summary: "So you're okay with backup as long as they won't be targets.""What?  No, that's not - ""Frank.  I'm getting you backup.""Who, your buddy the Devil?""No.  He's not a fan of your methods.""And you have friends that are?"





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Set in my Defender's verse, even if they don't appear as of yet - must at least have read the previous installment to have any idea of what's up. ( _Building up to something maybe and this will be important if I can unravel it._ ) For now, here's some mayhem.

_you wired me awake and hit me with a hand of broken nails_  
_You tied my lead and pulled my chain to watch my blood begin to boil_  
_but I'm gonna break  
I'm _ _gonna break my rusty cage and run_

 

 

 

 

 

"You're going to get killed."

"Karen - "

"It's a trap, how can you ignore that?"

"I'm not - I know - just - this is exactly why I didn't want - "

"Did you tell Micro? Or Curtis?"

"No, they'd be targets, I can't bring anyone else into this, not - "

"So you're okay with backup as long as they won't be targets."

"What? No, that's not - "

"Frank. I'm getting you backup."

"Who, your buddy the Devil?"

"No. He's not a fan of your methods."

"And you have friends that are?"

* * *

  
Karen finished her sales pitch to Steve and held her breath.

"It's government shit. We don't get involved in government shit," Natasha said from the other room.

Steve frowned in her general direction as Karen's face fell with disappointment. "It's not that kind of government shit, Nat."

"He's in trouble and he's walking into a trap. He's finally getting his life together but this - " Karen whispered.

"Hey, even if Natasha thinks it's too much of a risk for me, I'll still get him backup," Steve promised, taking her hands. She squeezed his fingers, grateful for him listening at all.

"You are not calling Deadpool. You are not bringing that sack of shit pretending to be a man into my personal space," Natasha announced, joining them with her plump Corgi sidekick. Natasha stretched out with her legs in Steve's lap while Porky attempted three leaps to get on the couch before accepting defeat and settling at his feet.

"He's not that bad," Steve denied. Karen wondered how he got anywhere with a shitty poker face like that.

"I thought Castle's whole avenging his family was taken care of," Natasha said with a sigh. "Give me a name."

"Oh. Jigsaw?" Karen offered.

Steve hummed. "I've heard Matt fishing around for details on him, what's he have to do with your friend?"

"He served with Frank. Billy Russo - " Karen started but Natasha's sharp gaze took her words.

"Rawlins' little lapdog?"

Steve and Karen both looked at her expectantly.

"Sorry. I probably owe your friend a handshake or something for finally getting the dirt on that scumbag," Natasha said. "Sharon's friend was mixed up in that, tried to bang the Russo guy for Intel and ended up catching emotions."

"Madani," Karen nodded. "He killed her partner and shot her in the head but she's okay now."

"She's not okay if he's still on the street," Natasha corrected her, pursing her lips. Karen wasn't sure what that expression meant, but she wasn't going to ask. The reporter in her knew when to shut up.

Steve looked at Natasha with a cherubic expression. "So we can help?"

"If you're sure that this Jigsaw is really Billy Russo, then we're in. But Madani gets dibs on zipping up his body bag."

"This isn't our op, we don't get to make those calls," Steve pointed out. Karen didn't expect that offering but she was definitely mentioning it to Frank to get him on board.

"Then I'll bring it up with the team lead on my own time. Dog," Natasha replied. Steve obediently lifted the pudgy dog onto her lap with a muted oof from one or all of the three.

Now that they'd both agreed to help, she asked the looming question. "I - are you going to tell Matt?"

Steve glanced at Natasha before answering. "Matt's not jealous, you know. He worries about you, a lot. You're his friend."

"He's pissed that Castle can take care of you better," Natasha hummed, closing her eyes as she gently scritched Porky's ears.

Steve rolled his eyes in his girlfriend's direction but continued. "He loves you, Karen."

"He lied to me about everything for too long," Karen sighed.

"He knows that, just like he knows you'll never forgive him for it. I think it kills him to see you be happy with The Punisher knowing all his faults when he was so terrified you'd hate him for being Daredevil."

"I forgive him," Karen whispered.

"No you don't. And you don't have to," Natasha said, eyes snapping open. "As someone who's made lying a full-time job - you seriously don't have to forgive him. It's enough that you understand and still stick around, that's what matters."

She felt like she was being scrubbed raw.

"Matt doesn't need to know," Steve said. "You asked us for help, not him and we don't speak out of turn when it comes to our friends' secrets."

"She doesn't need Murdock's kind of help. We'll keep everyone's hands clean, deal?" Natasha asked her.

* * *

 

Frank's eyes went wide as he took in the armory. "Karen?"

"I didn't know this was what they meant," she replied when she processed all the guns.

Natasha appeared, gorgeous and composed as always from behind the wall of weapons and Steve followed a moment later, gorgeous and composed - apart from his inside-out shirt.

"Oh," Frank and Steve said in unison when they saw the other.

"You know him already?" Natasha asked Steve before Karen could get the same question out for Frank.

"I go to VA meetings sometimes," Steve said vaguely.

"You have a priest to talk to, VA meetings are too risky," Natasha narrowed her eyes at Steve.

"I don't go to the actual VA and I always scout the place first. It's a good group, low key," Steve replied.

"What do you care about risky with a cache of guns like this?" Frank snorted. She knew he was already mapping out how many he could carry with enough clips.

"Not our guns, I called in a favor," Natasha answered.

Karen stepped in. "Frank, since you know Steve already, this is his girlfriend, Natasha."

He sized her up and Natasha raised a single eyebrow. Frank gave Karen a wary look before he offered his hand with a solemn, "Ma'am."

"I didn't know they were going to give you an arsenal, but hopefully they'll get you back to me in one piece," Karen apologized to Frank but she wasn't sure she was sorry.

"And get Russo in the ground in more than one piece," Natasha said, snapping his attention back to her.

She winced despite herself and Steve took her elbow. "Thanks for watching Porky for us tonight. He doesn't like being home alone."

* * *

 

"When Fisk turns up, you'll keep your eye on him, right?" Steve asked when Karen had left with their dog.

"Is that a possibility?" Frank grunted. What did he know about Fisk? "Because I have some issues with that guy myself."

"Are you worried about it? I thought we had that problem under control," Natasha interrupted.

"I'm not worried about it. But I know that sometimes doing things above board doesn't get the results that are necessary," Steve replied. "People can get locked up and still commit all the crimes they want. International laws can get signed but aliens can still invade. I'd like to know there are backup plans in place."

"I'll be first in line to put a bullet in his eye if he turns up again," Frank said.

Natasha ignored him, focusing on Steve. "Why are you worried about it at this particular moment?"

The spy was fishing hard so he answered before the guy dug himself in a hole.  "I know Karen's got a target on her back if he gets loose. The Devil doesn't have to worry."

"He's on a team that has a serious problem with killing, which is admirable and doesn't need to change any time soon," Steve said to her, pointedly ignoring him.

"You're ruining your reputation," she replied, glancing at Frank.

"Captain America don't mean shit to me, Ma'am," he replied dryly. "Too flashy. But your boytoy's turning out to be a good friend to have around. If Fisk turns up, he's on my list without needing anyone to call in a favor - not even Karen."

"Don't blow your cover. I'm with Murdock, that bastard's going to come out swinging," Natasha said.

"Speaking of blowing covers, 'Tash," Steve hissed.

Frank chuckled. "Do me a favor and don't mention that I know his ID to Karen. She'd want us to make peace or something equally awkward so it's best left off the table."

"Fisk will start a war and somebody's going to have to take him out of the equation if that happens. Matt's not a soldier, or a killer and if we're not around - I'm invested in my friends and their well-being. You're the one that made friends first," Steve accused Natasha.

"And I've regretted it ever since. But I didn't know Karen was on Fisk's radar, too," she said. "He's such a nuisance."

"I'd rather keep him a nuisance than a problem. I'll have my ears open," Frank said.  He wondered how many of these guns he could keep after this. 


	2. Chapter 2

 

 

 

  
"That's their dog?" Frank asked when he saw a ridiculous ball of fur on his couch instead of Karen's ridiculous throw pillows.

The dog woke up with a muffled yawn and immediately barked a delayed warning in line with Karen's soft laugh.

"Porky's a very good dog, but he hasn't gotten the hang of full time security yet, but you're a good boy, aren't you?"

Porky licked a stripe up her cheek and Frank figured it was safe to approach. The dog sniffed his knuckles and tilted his head at him in a fluffy sideways grin. He had a feeling the pup knew the smell of gunpowder but he seemed to pass the doggie test.

"How did everything go?" Karen asked softly. "Did I overstep?"

"Absolutely," he replied, sinking into the couch when the dog yawned their dismissal and curled up again. "But they're letting me run the show and I think it's going to work. Steve's sharp as a tack and that lady of his is dangerous."

"Matt says violence is like foreplay to her, but Steve's great. I like that such a nice guy can be happy with such a scary lady. Reminds me of us," she smiled.

He kissed her cheek. "Hate to tell you, but Steve's got some darkness in him."

"So do I but there's a time and a place for it," she pouted dramatically until he caught onto her joke. He had to get better at that. "They're a team," she continued. "I don't want to always be the last one to know that my friends are in danger."

"You're on the cameras," Frank said after a beat. "Cap said you would be able to handle the video feed software so I don't have to tag Micro. Did you not know that?"

She obviously didn't. "I wasn't invited to the planning session."

"Because you were covering their alibi with Porkpie."

The dog twitched and Karen smoothed her fingers through his fur. "Sorry. How do you know their secret identities?"

"Some of the things he said in the meetings didn't match up to any of the kind of combat I've heard about." Frank said. "I definitely didn't know he was with the Russian, thought she was a traitor."

"People find themselves on opposite sides sometimes, but it doesn't mean they can't make it work," Karen said. "But I feel so much better knowing you're not going after Jigsaw alone."

At least he wouldn't have to worry about his 'backup' getting hurt too badly since they were superheroes.

"It's like you have this white-out rage when you talk about Billy," she went on. "I can't stop you from doing what needs to be done, but I want you to have your head clear."

Frank didn't deny it. Hearing that bastard's name from her lips seized his muscles.

"Stop it, we're going to have a quiet night in and think about the rest tomorrow."

"I like that idea," he said.

Karen scritched the dog's ears, waking with a snuffle. "Porky, night patrol."

The dog yawned and hopped off the couch with a grunt and wandered out of the room reluctantly sniffing at the corners.

"He's a good dog and if we hurry, we can get to the bedroom before he's done and he'll sleep on the couch," Karen whispered as if the dog would catch her.

But he liked the bedroom idea. She was having a lot of good ideas tonight.

 

* * *

 

"When did you get a dog?" David asked as he started the program Karen utterly failed to open on the loaned laptop.

"I'm watching Porky for a friend. That's it - " she said when the live surveillance feed opened on one monitor and with a few clicks, filled the wall of screens.

"What's all this?  What's going on?" David asked, scanning the screens.

"You promised there would be no questions," Karen reminded him. Porky wagged his tail and she noticed movement onscreen as a black shadow took out one of the patrolling guards. She really needed to take some of Colleen's self-defense classes.

"He's going after Jigsaw without me? And you're okay with - " David started when Frank's shape appeared on another screen. "Who's he working with?"

"Nobody you're allowed to know because they're not really there," she replied. Steve's bulky shadow tumbled down a hallway like a wrecking ball with quick chops to attach the shock tags and drop the men to the floor. The flashes of electricity showed the fallen thugs wearing old Billy Russo's face, an electric hologram to keep the men incapacitated and not dead, she hoped.

"That's fucking cold," David chuckled tapping to open a spare screen to show her Billy Russo's new patchwork face for comparison. "Do you have a line for us to talk to them?"

"Click the box," Karen said, reaching over him to the laptop and remembering at least one part of her job. "I got the cameras, guys," she said when the chat-box opened to voice.

"Thanks. Hey, you think you can keep Porky a little longer tonight? My boytoy's being especially _savage_ and it's really turning me on."

"I got blood on my sneakers. I love these sneakers. And she might want private time with her own boytoy."

David gave Karen a dubious look.

"Chatter," Frank said gruffly. "Status?"

"Eighteen down, six more to clear perimeter and then we'll meet you at the first mark," Natasha said.

"Micro, you there?" Frank spoke and Karen rolled her eyes. Of course he had known.

"Yeah, Boss, feeling a little left out," David grinned.

" _Don't_ \- want you to keep your eyes on my grid - make sure Curtis and Karen's places don't have any surprises. You haven't been briefed on this op," he added.

"Perimeter clear," Natasha said as three men fell from a tossed electricity net that lit up pretty-boy Russo's faces in more masks of terror.

Porky let out an unhappy whine at the sound of her voice.

"Please pet our dog right now," Steve said.

"I like your friends," David whispered to Karen, turning to his console and lifting Porky to sit in his lap while he pulled up more camera views.

The three dark shadows met up and Karen smiled when she saw a wall of buzzing energy spike from the strategically lined up bodies that were now standing guard in a new way. The perimeter was secure once the bodies lit up the electricity fence. "That's clever."

"Do we get to keep any of the toys?" David asked after a moment.

"I'm working on it," Frank answered over the comm.

"Not the tech, it's too easy to trace but we can maybe part with a few guns since they're not ours," Steve said.

 


	3. Chapter 3

 

 

 

"I had my chance," Frank said. "You've had your mercy."

Billy spit out a tooth but his working eye caught their new guest. Madani wasn't wearing the mask his 'backup' provided in their part of the plan but Frank wasn't about to take her moment.

He'd let Billy walk away last time and people were still paying for his mistake.

"Mad- " Billy coughed, preparing a monologue for sure but Madani pulled the trigger before he got out the rest of her name. She emptied the clip until there was no face left, only a mess of mush and blood.

She ignored Frank completely and snapped her fingers. Steve stumbled from the shadows as if he'd been shoved and he spotted Natasha smirking behind him.

"Ma'am?" he asked.

"Carter wanted me to lay eyes on you. Said you were running with a bad crowd," Madani said, finally acknowledging Frank standing over Russo's corpse.

"Castle's good people. Sharon and I have some differing opinions sometimes but she knows we're ride or die," Steve said with a straight face.

"Mail his hands to her, she'll take care of it. None of us were ever here," she added.

Natasha stepped out, passing Steve a wicked blade and dangling a set of keys.

"Oh. Mystery guest appears," Madani chuckled.

"None of us are here so I figured I'd say hi. See you at the rendezvous in twenty, me and Bae are on cleanup," Natasha told Frank, dropping the keys in his hand. "Don't forget the dog."

He took the exit and weaved his way out, shedding and trading out clothes so he was in jeans and oversized hoodie when he made it to the van.

"Punisher."

He cursed and turned his attention to the shadows where he couldn't see Daredevil. "This ain't your business, Red."

"Is it their business?" Murdock asked and Frank assumed he was talking about his backup.

He thought of the easy smile from Madani at seeing Natasha and huffed. "Turned out it kind of was."

"Oh. Are they safe?"

He relaxed a tick. Bastard must have heard the fancy tech and thought someone was after his friends. "You can stand down. Everyone's a lot safer now."

Murdock stepped into the light and tilted his head thoughtfully, his helmet flashing before he moved out of view again. "Anything I need to know?"

"Jigsaw's off the board," Frank replied. "It might take a while for the news to get out, but - "

"That's good, and for plausible deniability, probably all I need to know," Red smirked darkly.

"Make an extra loop by our friend's place if you feel like it. She'll be elsewhere for a few days," he added.

"Noted. You should go," Daredevil said and with a soft grunt and leap he was gone.

He knew it was going to be awkward.

He dialed Karen and she picked up immediately. "Are you okay? The cameras went out ten minutes ago, I couldn't - "

"It was part of the plan. No witnesses," he added. "Are you okay?"

"I'm a nervous wreck but David's a very gracious host. It's his fault Porky's off his diet."

"They're taking him home with them tonight and I'm under pretty explicit instructions to take a bath with you," Frank said as her voice soothed the adrenaline pulsing under his skin.

"Explicit, huh? Should I be worried about those kind of instructions?" she laughed softly. "Are you really okay?"

"I'm getting there. Tell David to fuck off and meet us in ten."

 

* * *

 

"You're such a big baby," Natasha muttered as Karen walked in with Porky waddling eagerly behind her.

Steve was combing his beard meticiously in the mirror, damp from the shower. "I am thoroughly grossed out right now and you're totally sleeping on the couch. Porky and I have dibs on the bed. Hey, Karen, hi darling," he said, switching tones immediately as he dropped to the floor to greet his dog.

Frank was freshly showered, too and kissed her with a tinge of mint and expensive whiskey.

"Drinks on the counter, reward for a mission well done," Frank said, pulling out of the rare PDA finally with a small smile.

"Thanks for the night out, guys, we had a blast until Captain OCD got weird," Natasha said. "Drop the key in the mail slot after you lock up. Karen, come for mimosas on Sunday while the boys are at church," she added.

"I'll pencil it in," she said, slightly flattered to be invited. Jessica didn't like her much but Karen had started to think she didn't like anyone much.

Natasha turned to Frank. "Give Steve's number to your VA friend and apologize that he won't be able to attend group meetings anymore."

"Are you sure that's okay with you?" Karen asked Steve when he gave her a friendly goodbye hug.

"She's right. The more people that know our identities, the less safe we are. Most of our friends don't know where we are because it's so unsafe," Steve said. "If Frank figured out who I was, someone else would have eventually."

"Thanks for helping us, I know it was probably too much to ask but..." Karen started.

"Frank's paying his debt with the selfie but if we have to leave town in a hurry, you're now the top choice for Porky's guardian," Natasha answered for him, nodding toward Frank and Porky by the window. Just when she thought she was special for the extended PDA.

"I think I can handle that," she smiled.

"Good, everyone else has turned us down." Natasha said, taking Steve's phone and swiping in his password.

"Anybody ever tell you that you're a little whipped, Cap?" Frank snorted as he turned away from the enthusiastic pup.

"Not from anyone that's met my girl," Steve winked at him.

" _Thanks for letting us borrow your toybox. Please stop sending nudes_ ," Natasha tapped into the phone before passing it to Karen.

"He's confident in his body image, you shouldn't take away his outlet," Steve said blandly.

Frank glanced at Karen. "Who's this for again?"

"Another dead guy, he's cool," Steve replied.

"Wade is not cool, he's psychotic," Natasha muttered.

"He's a big fan. Um. I totally do not approve of his methods or yours, of course," Steve added.

"Your reputation's intact, Steve," Karen smiled. "Everyone say cheese?"

Steve shook his head. "No, Blue Steel - he'll like that better."

"Okay, go."

Frank's middle finger and Natasha's scowl made the photo complete and Karen wished she could keep it for herself.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Title and lyric tags belong to Soundgarden (Johnny Cash version for atmospheric effect).


End file.
